


Something To Share

by chibimono



Series: The Other Side Of Awkward Silence [3]
Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Kittens, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-16
Updated: 2004-12-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 21:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/324300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibimono/pseuds/chibimono
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inui finds something that just he and his kohai can share.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something To Share

Street tennis seemed to become all the rage once the members of the former Seigaku team were all in high school. They were all going to several different schools and were meeting knew friends, but their love of tennis brought them all back together.

The great thing about street tennis was that they could play against the old players from the other teams, like Fudomine, Hyotei, or St. Rudolph, as well as new players. Past rivalries were just that in the atmosphere of fun. New double pairs were formed or changed, while others vastly improved their singles game.

Kaidoh, though the loner he was, actually enjoyed the setting and was known at times to drop his seriousness and show a little sense of humor. There was no race to the Nationals here. No battles to remain a Regular. It was just tennis, and it was fun.

Under Inui’s advice, Kaidoh played singles most the time, doing his best to work on improving his game. Little did Kaidoh know, however, that Inui had calculated his win ratio to be about 76%, and his longest winning streak had been 37 games. He really did not need to focus completely on singles matches.

Only when Momoshiro or Kamio demanded a game, Kaidoh would snatch the notebook out of Inui’s hands and drag him into a doubles match. Not that Inui minded, of course. He still loved playing tennis. And playing tennis along side of Kaidoh was like a “hands on” way of collecting data. Inui liked to muse that no one could be as lucky as he, being able to experience his three favorite things at the same time: tennis, data, and Kaidoh.

*~/ *~/ *~/

“Saa, Inui… Kaidoh is doing well out there,” Fuji smiled as he took the empty seat beside the tall boy. “I think his coach must be training him well.”

Inui adjusted his glasses, but never turned his eyes from the match before him. Kaidoh had just performed a spectacular Boomerang Snake and the score was now at 30-love.

“He is the one with all the determination. He practically trains himself,” came the response.

The tensai chuckled to himself as they continued to watch the game.

“Something on your mind, Fuji?”

The gentle smile became brighter. “I sometimes wonder about artists that like to display their work. Is it because they want praise for their work? Or is it because they want others to admire their work as much as they do?”

So intent on watching Kaidoh dive for a drop volley, Inui just barely comprehended Fuji’s riddle-like comment. Pushing up his glasses, he turned to give the tensai a lopsided grin.

“I think you are mistaking me for being the artist, when I am not.”

“Are you not taking credit out of embarrassment?”

“It’s not my credit to take.”

Fuji chuckled. “Sasuga, Inui… Then it wasn’t you who molded and sculpted precious muscle and sinew into a fine piece of… artwork?”

Inui cleared his throat, as the line of questioning was getting… a bit personal in it’s round about way. The match had ended, six games all in favor of Kaidoh, and Inui turned his attention on Fuji.

“I only supplied the medium with which the artist worked. I can not take credit for that. Is there a purpose to all this, Fuji?”

“Maa… Can’t I be curious as to the workings of Inui’s mind?” Fuji pouted slightly, looking a bit disappointed. “As a sempai, I should look out for my kohai… and protect them from predators that may wish to cash in the credit on all their hard work.”

“Now you are implying that I am the predator,” Inui grinned. “Why would that be, when I, too, look out for my kohai?”

Fuji’s smile became slightly devilish. “Inui always has a plan. I think it is fair that I am curious as to why Inui would hide in the background for someone else. There must be something I don’t know…”

“An artist has a dream, Fuji…” Inui said softly, feeling his face begin to warm just a bit. “Sometimes, it takes a sponsor to give the dream to the artist.”

The tensai’s expression softened into a gentle smile. “What will the sponsor get out of this, Inui?”

“A chance to share something with the artist… that he may not share with anyone else. Please excuse me.”

Inui stood then, hyper-aware that he was indeed blushing now. _Fuji knows now_ , his mind told him. _Fuji knows how I feel for Kaidoh…_

Yet… where was Kaidoh? Inui glanced around the area. A new match had started… but Kaidoh was not playing. He was no where in sight.

“I apologize,” Fuji said with a worried expression. “I’ve kept you to myself too long, and now it seems as if your kohai has run off… You don’t think he was jealous, do you?”

Inui gave Fuji a strained smile. “What would he be jealous of? I shall talk to you later, Fuji. Say hello to your brother for me, as I have not seen him around the courts lately.”

“Of course,” Fuji waved with a bright smile as Inui picked up his notebook and went to look for Kaidoh.

\~* \~* \~*

Kaidoh had won against Otori Choutarou with no problem. Not that Otori was a push over or anything; Kaidoh, though he would not admit it, was just that good. They exchanged the obligatory handshake and a small conversation in regards to the game, before Kaidoh moved to return to the bench with his sempai.

He wanted his water bottle… But Fuji was there. In his seat. Talking to Inui. And Kaidoh walked the other direction to the water fountain, hissing about sempais and their weird questions, and _not at all_ feeling jealous.

Earlier that afternoon, the tensai had sat down beside him and started talking about Inui. “I hear from Momo that Inui is going to be your coach,” he said, smiling at Kaidoh in a way that made him nervous. “Saa… Lucky. I would love to be in your place… just to taste his juices.” Kaidoh really did not know what to say to that, so instead he sat there blushing violently.

Drinking from the fountain, he let some water splash on his face. Now he needed his towel. But that was over by Inui, too. And he was not going to go back there and have Fuji ask him something else horrible. Like Fuji really needed to know about how well his sempai’s big hands massage his shoulders…

“Fffshuuu…” Kaidoh blushed.

“Merow…” came the response.

“Eh?” That sounded like…

“Merow…”

A cat.

Just a few paces away, huddled under a bush, was a small kitten. Light gray in color, with darker gray stripes flowing down his sides from along his spine, the tiny creature laid there curled up. It’s tail was injured, there was a bloody scratch above it’s left eye, and a small chunk was missing from the tip of it’s right ear. It looked like it had been in a bad scuffle.

Very slowly, Kaidoh lowered himself to his knees and inched forward. He brought his hand out very slowly, reaching for the kitten, leaving his hand out in offering of friendship. A tiny pink nose sniffed at his fingers, and Kaidoh was quickly accepted as the kitten got to it’s tiny paws and brushed it’s cheek against his hand.  
Not having his towel, Kaidoh took off his bandana and rinsed it of his sweat. He then knelt back down on the ground and slowly coaxed the kitten into his lap. Using his damp bandana, he tried to clean the blood from the cut, whispering soothing words with his gruff voice as the tiny creature flinched in pain.

He was not sure what to do about the cat’s ear or tail, but he hoped that at least the scratch would not become infected. He cradled the tiny thing against his chest, listening to it purr as he gently stroked it’s fur. He had always wanted a pet of his own, but…

“Kaidoh, why are yo-“

Hunching over protectively, Kaidoh kept his back to the approaching person, holding the kitten close.

“Kaidoh?”

Inui was suddenly squatting down from his impressive height, right beside Kaidoh, and adjusting his glasses. It was an awkward shuffle, but Kaidoh managed to turn his back to Inui again, his face a smoldering red of embarrassment.

“What do you have, Kaidoh?” Inui asked, making his kohai gasp as he leaned in from behind and looked over Kaidoh’s shoulder.

“Merow,” the cat answered for itself.

Kaidoh turned his face away so that Inui could not see his profile and the vicious red of his cheeks, but he did not seem to notice the heat of the blush trailing down along his neck. Inui did, raising an eyebrow at the data.

“It… i-it’s injured… S-sempai…” he stuttered, trying not to shudder at the feel of Inui’s breath on his shoulder. So close… so close… so… embarrassing…

“Hmmm…” Inui hummed in thought, and Kaidoh could practically feel Inui moving behind his back to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Do you mind if I take a look?”

As if imparting the most precious thing he had ever owned, Kaidoh shuffled around to face Inui and gently held out the kitten. It’s golden eyes blinked at the older boy, and Inui cocked his head to the side, as if in thought. Very gently, if not more gently than Kaidoh, Inui took the small creature in his big hands and held it against his own chest.

“He’s not very old. Possibly only a few months,” Inui said, his deep voice soft and calming, but for the kitten or for Kaidoh was not clear. “Most likely just old enough to be away from his mother. He may need some medicine for these injuries. I don’t believe he will do well on his own unless he is healed.”

“Wha… What can we do… with him, Sempai?” Kaidoh asked nervously. He did not want to let the kitten go.

“Take him home,” Inui advised.

Kaidoh lowered his head in defeat. “It’s not allowed. ‘Tousan… he doesn’t like… pets…”

Standing for just a few moments, Inui suddenly turned and headed away, kitten still in his arms. Fearing the worst in what his sempai would do, Kaidoh quickly followed. Not that he did not trust his sempai, of course… It’s just that sometimes, his sempai had rather odd ideas. Aozu being an example, but Kaidoh was not going to think on things like that.

Grabbing up his bag with one hand and shrugging it onto his shoulder, Inui headed toward the steps and away from the street courts. Kaidoh scrabbled to pack his racket and other items into his bag and chased after his sempai, ignoring calls from other players to join them in a game. He caught Fuji waving goodbye out the corner of his eye, a knowing smile on his face that normally would have set off alarms in Kaidoh’s brain if he was not in such a hurry to follow his sempai.

Finally catching up with Inui at the street corner, he watched as Inui looked one way, and then the other.

“Na, neko-san… Which way?” he heard his sempai ask the cat, who meowed in return.

Kaidoh ventured forward. “S-sempai… where are we going?”

“Still deciding…” Inui began, and then took a step off the curb and began crossing the street.

They walked for several blocks and finally stopped outside of a shop. Inui handed the kitten over to Kaidoh and told him to wait for him. It was twenty minutes or so before Inui emerged from the store, hands full with two large bags. The began walking again, and Kaidoh did not realize exactly where they had been until he realized where they were now headed. He had been to the Inui apartment many times, in fact, he had been there much more in the recent months since Inui had taken to being his coach. He held the doors open for Inui as they made it up to his apartment and inside.

No one was home when they arrived, but that really did not matter. They were used to being alone in the apartment together, thought it was not bad at all when Inui’s parents were home. They were fond of Kaidoh and particularly happy that their belovedly odd son had a friend. “And such a good boy,” Inui’s mother had remarked on more than one occasion, making Kaidoh blush.

They went into the kitchen, where Inui put his bags upon the table. He indicated for Kaidoh to sit, holding onto the kitten, as he dug through a bag to pull out a tube and a few other items. Inui then pulled up a chair and sat facing Kaidoh and the purring kitten on his lap.

“This is antibacterial cream for his injuries,” Inui said, taking off the cap and putting some cream onto gauze. “Hold him still as I try to put it on him.”

Starting with the kitten’s ear, Inui had a bit of trouble as it flicked and moved, not wanting to be touched. He practically had cream smeared all over the cat’s ear before moving on to the scratch over his eye. Kaidoh gritted his teeth as he held the tiny creature, it’s piteous meows were breaking his heart as it’s claws dug into his thighs and arms painfully. Next came the tail, which was not too bad, as Inui held the flicking appendage quickly and coated what looked to be a bite.

“Done,” Inui said, getting up to rinse off his hands.

Kaidoh remained seated, petting the kitten in hopes of soothing it after such an ordeal.

“What all did you get, Sempai?”

“Hmm… food. Flee bath. Litter. Catnip. Toys. Basic things to care for a kitten.”

Blinking as the words settled in, the younger boy looked up at Inui, his exotic eyes open wide.

“S-sempai…”

“What should we name him, Kaidoh?”

“You… you’re keeping him…?”

Inui adjusted his glasses. “You said that you could not, so something had to be done. I will keep him. My parents will not mind… And you can visit him when ever you please.”

Kaidoh very much wanted to throw his arms about his sempai and kiss him then. There were times when Inui could be so frustrating… and then there were times like these that reminded Kaidoh why he loved the bespeckled boy so much.

“So, since you found him, you should name him, Kaidoh.”

After a bit of thinking, Kaidoh decided that Toshi would be fitting, as it was probably the cat’s fighting spirit that got it through it’s trouble alive. And Toshi it was.

“I’m going to set up some of his things,” Inui smiled as he picked up on of the full bags. “Put him down and let him explore. He will be quite curious of his new home, I am sure. Follow him, though, and make sure that he does not injure himself further.”

Following Toshi out of the kitchen, they wandered together through the living room, down the hallway, into the other rooms of the house. The tiny pink nose sniffed about, taking in the unfamiliar scents. Kaidoh even got to his knees, crawling about with Toshi, letting the kitten brush against him lovingly as they roamed about. Wondering what it would be like to live as a cat, Kaidoh suddenly found himself in Inui’s room. Toshi jumped upon Inui’s bed and curled up, looking down expectantly at Kaidoh who was still on his knees. As Kaidoh climbed up onto Inui’s bed, he decided that being a cat must be pretty nice, and he would be very lucky if he had Inui for an owner. His sempai was such a good person.

The action of petting a cat was much more soothing than Kaidoh could ever remember. But then, he never really had the chance to actually enjoy the presence of a feline as much as he had today. The sound of purring was so calming and relaxing… and before Kaidoh realized what was happening, he was fast asleep on his sempai’s bed with Toshi’s warm body curled against him.

*~/ *~/ *~/

Inui had found an inconspicuous place to hide Toshi’s litter pan, an out of the way place in the kitchen for the food and water bowls, and a quiet corner of the living room for the kitty bed. Quite happy with the little set up he had created, he went to look for his… pets. Inui chuckled to himself. _I seem to be taking care of both of them, don’t I?_ he smirked.

After a quick search of the apartment, Inui found both his kohai and his pet on his bed, fast asleep. It seemed that Kaidoh had fallen asleep petting the happily purring kitten. For a long time, Inui just stood at the doorway and watched. There was a slight smile on Kaidoh’s slumbering face that was so calming, so peaceful. It was nothing like Inui had ever seen. It was…

“Beautiful… ne, Toshi?” Inui murmured as he knelt beside his bed. He reached out and scratched behind the kitten’s uninjured ear, which was greeted with more purring.

With a little arranging, Inui managed to cover his kohai with the blankets. Leaning over the bed as he was, he was so close to Kaidoh… just so close… With quick lips against surprisingly soft skin, Inui stole a small kiss from Kaidoh’s cheek. Kaidoh let out a small breath with a smile, sounding much like ‘Toshi’, before his face relaxed again… and he slept on.

Smiling to himself, Inui left his room. He sighed and leaned back against the closed door, thinking of Kaidoh. Recalling his conversation with Fuji earlier made him smile again.

 _This is my chance to share something with him…_ Inui thought. _Something between he and I… Something that cannot be shared with anyone else…_

Opening the door once more, Inui looked in to see that Kaidoh was still sleeping. Toshi looked up, then lowered his head once more, peacefully happy. _Lucky kitten_ , Inui smiled. At least one of them could sleep so close to Kaidoh, sharing Kaidoh’s body heat. Maybe one day… One day he could share that, too, with Kaidoh.

Shutting the door again, Inui went down the hall and into the kitchen to make something for dinner.


End file.
